B10_-_Pre-award_FedBizOpps_Posting_(RFQ)_1.pdf

Intent to Award Notice – 140G0123Q0286

The Department of the Interior (DOI), United States Geological Survey (USGS), Cooperative Research

Units in Reston, VA, supporting the Ecosystems Mission Area has a requirement for a BACKPACK

ELECTROFISHER with Associated Devices and Accessories.

Smith-Root, Inc. will provide a backpack electrofisher and associated devices and accessories that will support the USGS mission to achieve sustainable management and conservation of biological resources by facilitating the study of multi-species assemblages, including species of greatest conservation need, economically important species, and invasive species in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest, USA. The resources identified in this procurement support research in fisheries, fish ecology, and aquatic science on a variety of fish populations and communities and directly support the educational training of graduate research students and the ability of the USGS to capture, process, monitor, report, and distribute scientific data in a timely manner. The necessary components for electrofishing include digital control unit in sealed molded polyethylene and ABS case, electrode pole and ring, electrode rattail, lithium battery, and battery charger. Control unit will be used to set waveform, frequency, voltage, and current with a digital display to relay system information and warnings, a safety kill-switch, operating lights, and tonal alarms.

The Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is specifically requesting a Smith- Root, Inc. LR-

24 backpack unit. The USGS, Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and our collaborators at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Science Center, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon

State University use Smith-Root Inc. backpack electrofishers. It is imperative that new equipment be fully compatible with existing equipment within the Unit and equipment used by our collaborators. Electrodes and batteries are not compatible with any other electrofisher.

The Smith-Root backpack electrofisher has crucial safety features unique to its product to include the

Programmable Output Waveform, which is patented by Smith-Root, so this is the only source capable of providing the highly specialized described product.

The total anticipated period of performance will be 30 Days After Receipt of Order (ARO).

The USGS is aware of no other source that can provide the above. Therefore, it intends to make an award to Smith-Root, Inc. unless it is contacted by any vendor who believes they have can provide a product that can meet the needs of this requirement. Vendors are invited to contact the Contract Specialist, Tricia

Rampersad via email at trampersad@usgs.gov no later than 1:00 PM EDT, Thursday, September 7, 2023, with an affirmative answer.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) considers employee signatures to be Personal Protected Information, and therefore all employee signatures have been redacted. By posting this document, the Contracting

Officer attests all appropriate signatures have been obtained.

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (FAR 13.1)

The following information is provided to demonstrate the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications:

Electrofishing data will be used to collect detailed information on fish abundance and distribution in shallow stream and riverine ecosystems. Equipment will facilitate the study of multi-species assemblages, including species of greatest conservation need, economically important species, and invasive species in

Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest, USA. The Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research

Unit is specifically requesting a Smith- Root, Inc. LR-24 backpack unit for the following reasons:

a. There are no competing companies that make backpack electrofishers that offer all the needed technical and safety features: a digital control unit with safety features that include light and sound safety indicators, an emergency stop switch, automatic safety tilt shutoff and immersion sensor, and overload mailto:trampersad@usgs.gov protection; smooth and pulsed DC waveforms; waveform settings that can be saved and recalled as presets;

incrementally adjustable voltage, frequency, and duty cycle for a total of more than 1,200 different waveform selections; specialized lamprey settings; and a rechargeable lithium battery.

b. The U.S. Geological Survey, Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and our collaborators at the U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Science Center, Oregon Department of

Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon State University use Smith-Root Inc. backpack electrofishers. It is imperative that new equipment be fully compatible with existing equipment within the Unit and equipment used by our collaborators. Electrodes and batteries are not compatible with any other electrofisher.

c. The backpack electrofishing unit will support research at the Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife

Research Unit and its continued collaborative efforts with other stakeholder agencies. Without this backpack electrofisher, the Government will be unable to collect highly accurate monitoring data that supports the conservation of sensitive fish species and their habitats.

d. The Smith-Root backpack electrofisher has crucial safety features unique to its product to include a tilt sensor, an immersion sensor, and an anode out of water sensor, along with emergency stop switch with twin audible alarms which immediately turn off the output of the electrofisher in dangerous situations.

Attempts to get competition found that, although backpack electrofishing units are sold by other vendors, no other vendor manufactures a backpack electrofishing unit that meets the Government’s minimum requirements for safety, meets our technical needs, and is compatible with collaborator equipment. Smith-

Root Inc. is the only company that manufactures a backpack electrofisher that includes over 1,200 different waveform selections with the ability to switch between pre-programmed waveforms and output power limiting, to reduce injuries to sensitive species. Large waveform selection provides a more versatile unit, which can provide optimum performance with changing water conditions, fish size, and species. The

Programmable Output Waveform concept is patented by Smith-Root and not available from any other source. It provides access to the most effective and least damaging output waveforms available. Research indicates there remain no other suitable options for the bureau to consider at this time. This satisfies FAR

13.106-1(b)(1) – “…only one source reasonably available…”